French

Germany's occupation of France was resisted by the Maquis - the famous French Resistance. Led by ex-officers or charismatic local leaders, these brave men and women fought desperate guerilla actions which were pivotal in disrupting German forces during the Battle for Normandy. The members of the French Resistance risked everything for a chance to fight back against their Nazi oppressors. Allied airdrops supplied the French Resistance with invaluable heavier weaponry such as the Vickers medium machine gun and 3" mortar included in this set. The miniatures in this set represent the partisans of the French Forces of the Interior (FFI) but are equally suitable for most resistance forces, be they in Poland, the Soviet Union or many of the other countries living under the heel of Germany's jackboot. Contains:

• HQ Team
• 1 medium mortar team
• 1 MMG team
• Plastic German weapons sprue
• Plastic bases

Infantry weapons teams are a key component of any Bolt Action army, providing as they do great tactical flexibility for your force. Sniper teams, light mortar teams and anti-tank teams are among the most prevalent, presenting your opponent with multiple challenges to overcome. A Sniper Team in a Partisan Bolt Action army represents anything from an untrained civilian out for revenge on the occupiers to a seasoned hunter that has decided to join the resistance. Like most weapons used by the partisans, light mortars were often captured examples and short of ammunition. Light mortars were also relatively easy to supply by airdrops. For most partisans, mortars were too precious a resource to waste, and they were usually saved for just the right moment to surprise the enemy and pin them down as fighters advanced towards their targets. Partisans had little in the way of anti-tank weaponry. Fortunately, most of the heavier armour of the occupying forces was at the front line, and thus it was mostly outdated and lightly armed vehicles were used for security duty in occupied territory. PIAT anti-tank launchers were amongst some of the heavier gear that could be airdropped or smuggled through enemy lines for use by partisan forces. Contains three Bolt Action Order Dice and the following Warlord Resin Plus figures:

• 2-man Light Mortar team
• 2-man Sniper team
• 2-man PIAT team

Captured anti-tank guns were put to use again their former owners – these would very likely include German 37mm guns. Blister pack contains metal gun and crew.

Upgrading the Char B1, the Char B1 bis had thicker armour and an APX4 turret with a longer-barrelled (L/32) 47 mm SA 35 gun, giving it more anti-tank capacity alongside the 75mm hull-mounted howitzer. French experiences during The Great War influenced their belief a breakthrough tank would be needed in future conflicts, hence the design of the heavy Char B1 and B1 bis. This kit allows you to build French or German gun tanks or as one of two versions of German flammpanzers, it contains:

• A French/German Char B1 bis tank
• Bolt Action stat cards
• Full-colour waterslide decal sheet
• Vehicle damage markers

Among the most powerful tanks at the time, the Char B1 bis was very effective against German Panzers in 1940 during the Battle of France. However, slow speed and high fuel consumption made it ill-adapted to the more fluid style of warfare being fought at that time. With the fall of France, the victorious German military captured 161 Char B1 bis tanks and repurposed them under the nomenclature Panzerkampfwagen B-2 740 (f). Several were also converted into flame-throwing tanks.